Dateline Kamuning:   President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. will travel to Washington, D.C. from 30 April to 04 May 2023 on an official visit aimed at reaffirming the special relationship between the Philippines and the United States.  The President’s itinerary will begin on 01 May with a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden, followed by an expanded meeting with key Cabinet officials. The visit will reaffirm the bonds of friendship that give definition and significance to the many facets of the bilateral relationship, underpinned by the close affinity shared by Filipinos and Americans alike for many years.  It will substantively progress efforts to further deepen relations and political ties, to bring about lasting socio-economic partnerships, as well as to enhance defense and security cooperation. The President is expected to advance the Philippines’ socio-economic and development priorities and harness closer partnership in such areas as agriculture, energy, cl...

  Dateline Kamuning:   The Philippines will review a “tripartite agreement” with its two close allies, the United States and Japan, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said Friday. In an interview with Japan’s Kyodo News, the President said one of the “many other issues” raised by the Philippine delegation in Tokyo is fostering alliances with its long-time partners. “It is something that we certainly are going to be studying upon my return to the Philippines. I think just part of the continuing process of strengthening our alliances because in this rather confusing, and I dare say dangerous situations, that we have, I’m not talking only about the South China Sea, I’m not only talking about the Indo-Pacific region but, of course, there is a conflict still ongoing in Ukraine and the rather disturbing effects that it has all around the world,” the President pointed out.    The chief executive said this is part of a “continuing and ongoing” process to make more “so...

Dateline Kamuning: Considering China as a very important economic partner of the Philippines, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s state visit to Asia’s economic giant will entail signing several business agreements, Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Affairs Nathaniel Imperial said on Thursday. In a press briefing, Imperial said one of the priorities of the President’s visit on Jan. 3 to 5 is to foster stronger economic cooperation with China, and a big business delegation is expected to accompany him.    According to Imperial, there is strong interest from Chinese investors in the Philippine economy, especially in agriculture, renewable energy and nickel processing. “China imports 70 percent of its nickel ore and concentrates requirements from the Philippines. So, there’s a lot of potential in those sectors,” the DFA official told members of the Malacañang Press Corps. Among the agreements to be signed are the finalization of...

Hindi naitago ang tahasang pakikialam ng Estados Unidos sa isang malayang bansa tulad ng Pilipinas. Ang planong pagbili ng armas mula sa Rusya para sa Armed Forces of the Philippines ay pinanghimasukan ni Uncle Sam. Ang pakikipagtulungang-militar ng Manila sa Moscow ay hindi raw makakatulong sa magandang relasyon mayroon ang Pilipinas at Amerika na pinanday ng mahigit isang siglong pagtutulungan. Kay sarap pakinggan. Ayon kay Randhall Schriver, US Defense Assistant Secretary for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, ang plano ng Pilipinas na bumili ng ‘submarine’ sa mga Ruso ay hindi maganda para sa pangkalahatang relasyon ng Manila at Washington. 000 Si Uncle Sam talaga, pine-pressure ang gobyerno ng Pilipinas para hindi matuloy ang paghahanap ng armas para sa modernisasyon ng Armed Forces of the Philippines. Isinangkalan pa ang ‘relasyon’ ng dalawang bansa, na puro pabor lamang sa Washington. Isang lang ang gustong patunayan ng pahayag na ito ni Schriver, ang Amerika ay nanatil...